It's a Fine Life!
by NakanoHana
Summary: Axel moves and ends up lost trying to find his new home. On the way, meets a boy who could be his guide. But this boy has a secret, and Axel struggles to tear down the walls between them. What is he hiding? Can he be trusted? akuroku, h/c, language, etc


Another story I'm just sort of experimenting with. No, I'm not dropping any of my other stories. I'm not trying to skip around so much, but hey, you take inspiration as it comes and use it how you will. I have more ideas for my other stories but, unfortunately, it's early in the morning and I need sleep! I have a tendency to get reeeeaaaallllly depressed when I don't get enough sleep, and that's bad TwT...

Life is kind of hectic right now. My grades aren't looking so good at the moment, so I might have to focus more on studying than writing or my social life sometimes, but I'm not dropping or quitting any of my stories just jet. I love them dearly and will not let them go without a fight, but I need motivation and inspiration to work on them anyways, so I appreciate your patience and understanding. :) Random side note: It was my birthday last weekend!

As usual, I don't own KH. I don't own one bit of it. No stock in square enix, no nothing! But if I did...then I'd have hoards of crazy fans always trying to assassinate me! Seriously! The rabid fan boys and girls would be after me every minute of every day, hoping to off me and get the rights to KH all to themselves! So I'm kinda glad I don't own KH...kinda...TwT...still...

* * *

Axel looked out at the dusty, sunlit city with a mixed look of disgust and resignation.

_What a raging dump..._

When he'd first gone to the reading of his uncle's will, he wasn't sure exactly what he was expecting. But inheriting his uncle's simple but spacey mansion on the far side of a seedy little place like this had definitely not been high up on his list.

"How the _hell _did I end up back at the train station?" The redhead cursed to himself briefly as he checked the torn slip of paper in his hand again. The directions had seemed simple enough at first, but now they were just starting to drive him crazy!

Axel hadn't visited his uncle's old estate in many years; the last time he had been there was when he was barely out of diapers. He and his uncle, Reno, while having similar stubborn personalities, had come to understand early on that they had varying interests and values. Reno was a wealthy business man who'd made his start as a bodyguard at the age of 19, slowly working his way up through the ranks until he became a trusted partner of his business associate and partial owner of his company. Axel, on the other hand, was a bratty, rebellious drop out; a boy who, after the sudden death of his mother, jumped from one relative to the next and barely seemed to give a damn about where his life was going. Axel distinctly remembered his last conversation with Reno; it had ended with him storming out to live on his own, the older redhead shouting all the while that he'd never amount to anything in life. He'd be poor, lazy, and alone; just like his stupid whore of a mother.

Needless to say, Axel was not on the best of terms with the older man. He'd found a sanctuary in his best friend, Demyx, who'd kindly allowed him to stay with him until he could get a place of his own. In Hollow Bastion, the legal age of adulthood was 17, so there was no problem there. The real issue was getting a job. The best that Axel could get was working in a small but lively pub on the other side of town, a cool little place called 7th Heaven. The owner was a spirited brunet named Tifa, a tough but helpful employer who had understood his plight and offered him a chance at money and, on occasion, some free food and booze. Axel was grateful and really _did _love his job. It put him close to people and taught him that there was some value in working hard and saving up money. Not to mention that there was live music and parties, letting him keep his rather bustling social life.

But all this wasn't enough to buy him his own place. Half of his money was given to Demyx for food and rent, and the other half he sometimes ended up whittling away on random things that struck his fancy. Things came to a head in the last couple of months, when Demyx told him that he was intending to propose to his love and longtime friend, Zexion. The other man would be moving in with him after the wedding, and Axel didn't take it personally that the two wanted him out. After all, who wanted a third wheel hanging around on their honeymoon? He'd grimaced to himself, not wanting to stick around himself, for fear of what they'd be getting up to.

That had still left him with a dilemma, though. That _was _until he'd gotten the letter from his uncle's lawyer. Now he was standing at the corner of Twilight Drive and Twilight Street trying to find his way to the free home he'd luckily, and somewhat unluckily, acquired.

"Why are there so many streets with the name _Twilight _in them?" he hissed, rubbing his throbbing temple in frustration. At this rate, he was never going to get to the old mansion before the sun went down!

Reno's reasons behind leaving him the old place had been a mystery to most. It didn't take a genius to realize that he and the old man didn't get along; hell, even the lawyer had seemed surprised when Axel had showed up for the reading of the will. But Axel knew better. Oh yes, _he _knew! This seemingly thoughtful, _kind _gesture was just another way to rub Reno's wealth and life lectures into his face! What a plan!

Now, Axel wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to to turn down a free place to live, not by a long shot. But living in that house, _any _house that had once been _his, _was like conceding that the man was right. That he needed to depend on others to support him; that his life really was going no where and it would never turn around...

The redhead sighed, turning to ask a group of kids playing nearby. For as simple and somewhat crappy as it was, Axel really missed his old life in Hollow Bastion. His friends, his job, his whole life was back there, even now that he'd moved to this sleazy, old rinky-dink town.

"Huh? You mean that old abandoned mansion on the other side of town?" Axel winced and grumbled at the sound of that. He had to walk even farther now? "Yeah. Just take Twilight Street all the way past the shopping district, up until you reach Destiny Lane. That should get you where you wanna go; you'll see it in no time."

_Wow. A street that doesn't have Twilight in it for once. _he thought sarcastically. Damn it all that he had to walk back through this dusty, dingy little place when he was wearing the nicest pair of shoes that he had. "Thanks, kid."

"No problem, man." the boy replied casually, quickly turning back to his friends and whatever game they were playing. Axel set his bags down for a moment and sat on a nearby bench, allowing himself to take a quick breather as he watched them play. He snorted slightly as he looked each one over, thinking to himself how they all looked just like this town. Dirty and shady.

Twilight Town was a little nothing town that most people from the outside world couldn't even locate on a map. That was how tiny it was. It was not as bad as Gongaga, Axel noted with great relief, but it was just about as backwater as it could get. There weren't a lot of decent jobs or schools in the whole place; from what he had read, _crime _was bustling more than business! It seemed like the place where his uncle wouldn't be caught dead- the redhead laughed slightly at the little joke- but of course, Reno _had _to have a summer home or getaway in _every _city on the freaking planet! And, out of the kindness of his heart, he just happened to give _this _little treasure to Axel. Goodie goodie...

Axel leaned his head back and stared up ay the sky for a moment. He was probably being unfair. Hell, he didn't know any of these kids or what sort of lives they'd grown into in this miserable little place. On the plus side though, since standards seemed to be rather low here, there was more of a chance of him actually getting a job. And maybe having some choice as opposed to just waiting tables and serving beer.

With a sigh and a slight grunt of exhaustion (carrying all those damn bags was heavy work!), Axel stood up and stretched, trying to get all the kinks out of his back now. He just knew he'd regret them later. After a moment or two, he reluctantly gathered up his bags and started walking again, leaving the scene of the children playing behind him with a small smile.

Sorry and small as it was, the little town was starting to grow on him...Barely...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Destiny Lane my ass! I don't see a Destiny Lane anywhere!"

It had barely even been a half and hour, and he was still hopelessly lost. Axel growled a little as he set his bags down again, trying to regain his bearings. He'd gone through the old shopping district, which, in his opinion, looked like the site of some sort of atomic explosion, and had taken forever to get through on a crowded day like this. But now he was at a stand still, with no clear direction and the sun sinking fast below the horizon line.

Just then, Axel's eyes widened as he felt something ghosting into his pocket, there and gone so quickly he barely had time to react. As he turned around, he saw that the thing he had felt was a hand; a somewhat small hand that was now clutching his wallet tightly in between its quivering fingers and palm.

"Hey!"

Not even looking up further to see who the hand belonged to, Axel quickly snapped into action, grabbing the hand tightly around the wrist and squeezing harshly. Whoever was attached to the hand stopped abruptly, and Axel jerked hard so that the pickpocket was practically flung right back against him.

"And where do you think you're going?" he sneered slightly, his tone harsh but not all that intimidating. "In case you haven't noticed, that's _my _wallet you're holding..." As he looked up to meet the eyes of the pickpocket, the redhead was so surprised that he almost let the little hand slip through his grasp.

"Let go of me!"

He was starring into the most insanely blue eyes he'd ever seen. They belonged to pale young boy, who Axel guessed was somewhere between 11 and 12 years old. The boy was wearing pretty average clothes, a plain grey top and light navy pants that bagged out slightly from his skinny hips, topped off with a grey newsy hat that seemed to just barely smash down a few spiky locks of blond hair. His boots looked old and scuffed up and dusty, and all in all the boy presented a small, pathetic picture of a scavenging street rat looking for an easily couple of bucks.

But, Axel noted quite interestingly, his big blue eyes were not brimming with fear now that he'd been caught. No, swirling in those icy depths was a look of pure loathing; absolute disdain and defiance against the man now keeping him from his meal ticket.

"You're just a kid..." Axel said simply, not loosening his grasp one bit.

"I'm not a kid! I'm 15!" the blond shouted back, surprising Axel a bit. His height and facial features made him look much younger, but either way, the redhead still wasn't expecting his robber to be so young. "Now if you're not gonna let me have it, then let me go and I'll be on my way!"

"Oh no." Axel replied, shaking his head and wagging his finger in a condescending manner. "You're not getting away that easily. Whether you failed or not, you still tried to rob me, and I hate to break it to you, but I'm not really a forgiving person."

"I don't care if you're a _nature_ person! Just let me go and I swear I'll never bother you again!"

"Can I help you two gentlemen?"

Both Axel and the blond boy turned to see a young man strolling over to them, eyebrow raised slightly at the scene before him. The man was also a blond, though not the same shade of baby blond as the boy Axel was restraining, and despite the casual attire his officer's badge was clearly visible, pinned proudly over his heart and gleaming in the fading sunlight. But was that a beanie on his head?

"Are the two of you having some sort of trouble?"

The redhead glanced back at the boy before him, seeing the resentment still flaring in his eyes but also another emotion that he couldn't quite place. Smirking slightly, he turned back to the officer.

"There's no real problem here, sir. I just caught this kid," he jerked the blond forward suddenly, causing him to yelp, "trying to pick my pocket while I wasn't looking. Now we're just trying to settle our little disagreement peacefully." he said smoothly, ignoring the glare from the boy.

"Another pickpocket, eh?" The young man came over quickly and grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt, pulling him away from Axel and so that he was staring directly into his face. "I'm gettin' pretty tired of you punks always stinking up my city. You make me sick." he growled, still fairly calmly, as his grip on the boy's shirt tightened. "Well, maybe a couple of nights in the mill will teach you not to steal other people's hard-earned munny."

The little blond glared back at the officer defiantly, although he faltered a bit when the man shook him roughly.

"You listening, punk?"

The boy nodded stiffly, his piercing blue gaze now tinged with fear. Even without knowing what he was talking about, Axel could guess that this guy meant business.

"That won't be necessary, officer."

The two blonds turned to look at him, both glaring although one's glare was softer than the other's. Axel stepped forward and grabbed the boy more gently this time, pulling him out of the other man's grasp and keeping him from bolting away immediately.

"But sir-"

"No, it's fine." Axel said simply, ignoring the frustrated squirming as the boy tried to get loose. "There was no harm done, really. And I just might have an idea that'll make it so we all go home happy..."

The little blond paused briefly, shooting him a look like he was crazy, while the other man scratched his chin, looking interested. "Go on..."

"It's like this: I'm new to this town here, and I don't have much of a sense of where I'm going. This kid obviously knows the streets, but he's going about his life all wrong." He sent a little smirk the boy's way, earning another glare and more squirming as a reward. "I suggest that you leave him with me, to pay for his crimes and also to give him a chance at some good, honest work. He can stay with me for a while, and I'll take full responsibility for him."

"No way in hell! Are you crazy?" the boy yelled, still frantically trying to tug his arm away. "No way am I going with you!"

The officer, though, looked fairly pleased with the compromise. He seemed even happier that the little boy was so against it. Axel couldn't help but wonder how much more punishing it was to live with him than be sentenced to something like several weeks of hard labor!

"It _would _keep one less little thieving brat off the streets..." the man mumbled, looking thoughtful. "Excellent! So I have your word that you'll keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble?"

Axel smirked widely, pulling the boy against his side and making a juvenile salute with his other hand. "You can count on me, officer!"

"Hey! I want a say in this!" the boy shouted indignantly, looking a little red in the face much to his new caretaker's amusement. "You can't just make me go with him!"

"Oh yes I can, brat." the officer spat back, smirking confidently. "It's either that or the mill; take your pick. It's not like you have someone that can pay your way out."

Axel felt the boy stiffen slightly against him, and looked down to see that his head was lowered. _So he's an orphan, I guess? _He supposed it should have been obvious by now, but then again, he was unfamiliar with this town and the common problems of its people.

There was a short silence that followed, making Axel decidedly uncomfortable. He didn't know if these two knew each other well or if they just hated each other from the start, but it seemed like there were tiny flames burning in their eyes as they glared at each other. Changing the subject, and fast, Axel said, "So it's all settled! Thank you for your help, officer."

The man blinked up at him, smiling a bit more pleasantly now. "No problem at all, sir. But can I get your name before you go? Just so I know who to check up on and all..."

"Of course! My name's Axel. Axel Nishimura." All the while the blond boy stared up at him, baffled by his enthusiasm.

"Alright. If you ever have any troubles, you're welcome to come by the station. Just ask for Seifer Oshiro, and I'll help ya with whatever you need."

"Thanks again! Bye!" the redhead said cheerfully, waving as the young blond officer turned and left, disappearing beyond the street corner. He was a little odd, and maybe a bit sadistic, Axel thought comically, but he seemed to be a good guy. He wondered what other kinds of people he'd end up meeting in this messed-up little town, but for now, Axel focused on the small boy still standing next to him. He'd stopped struggling not that long ago, and was now staring at the ground intently, refusing to look at him.

"Why?"

Axel looked down at him, his head turning curiously to the side. "Pardon?"

"What's wrong with you?" The boy suddenly turned and stared at him strangely, as if he was observing some kind of strange, disgusting new species for the first time. "If you'd just let me go, then I could have been out of here and left you alone! You act like you want to punish me, then save me from going to work, _then _agree to let me stay in your home?"

"Yeeeeep."

"Are you deranged?" the little blond exclaimed, exasperated. "You _know _I'm a pickpocket! Why would you willingly let me into your house _and _agree to take full responsibility for me? I could just steal everything you have and leave when you go to sleep! Hell, I could slit your throat and then just walk out the door!"

"I guess you could." Axel mused back, still as calm as could be.

The boy blinked, smacking his head hard in frustration and and grumbling. Axel just smirked. He really _was _just a child. "Why? Why would you take that risk? I don't even want to stay with you!"

"But you didn't want to go to the mill either." The boy shivered slightly, though Axel pretended not to notice. " I don't know how long you've been doing this, kid, but I like to think it's not too late for a kid like you to turn around."

"It's not like it'd make a difference" the blond muttered bitterly, barely loud enough for Axel to catch. He then sighed loudly, his cold stare cooling off even more to the point of just plain indifference. "Fine. But I still don't trust you."

"I wouldn't expect any less..." the redhead shot back playfully, rubbing the boy's head hard with his palm to tousle the hair hidden under his hat. The boy growled and slapped his hand away, his old glare returning, but Axel just kept smirking, as he picked up some of his heavier bags and passed them over. The boy grunted and swayed, not expecting the bags to be as heavy as they were, no doubt, and Axel didn't hold back a small laugh of satisfaction at the look of pure surprise.

"Come on, kid. Gotta go find my place before it gets too dark, eh?"

The boy stared at him incredulously, speaking through gritted teeth. "You don't...even know where it is?"

"I've been trying all day. But you know, I think the hunt is more fun than finding the actual treasure!" he replied happily, glad to have less to carry now and looking forward to tormenting his new forced companion. Maybe his life here _would _be more interesting after all.

"So kid. Is Blondie okay with you, or would you prefer I called you..."

"Roxas." the boy said quickly, cutting him off and praying that, mercifully, there wouldn't be any more. "My name is Roxas."

"Right! Roxy it is!"


End file.
